Everything's On Fire
by SilenceRequested
Summary: An AU where the Shannons never went to Terra Nova. It is 2168 and the world is ending. Maddy and her husband try to comfort their five year old daughter as the advancing flames swallow up the screaming population. One-shot. Maddy/OC


**A/N: In this AU the Shannons never went to Terra Nova. Maddy married Jason when she was 27 and had Alise when she was thirty. In this story she is 35. The 'prediction' was announced to the public in 2166. The current year is 2168. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Terra Nova or 'Safe and Sound'. **

**Please review. Enjoy.**

When the world finally does end, it is consumed in fire; there is no ice in sight. The droughts have been an issue for a long time, but they started to become a very serious problem in the last five years or so. There wasn't enough water on Earth to be evaporated into the air and then become rain again. The Earth was thirsty.

The fires started innocently enough. A few buildings caught fire here and there in places scattered across the globe. After a while, though, the number of fires began to increase and eventually caught world-wide attention. When scientists figured out why the fires were starting (and not burning themselves out) a countdown began. Over one hundred of the world's most brilliant minds got together and gave a prediction for the end of the world: less than four years.

Now, two years after the prediction had been announced to the public, Maddy Shannon-Douglas stood grimly in the middle of the street amongst thousands of screaming people and thought only three words:

"We were wrong."

As the top scientist in her field of environmental science, Maddy had been one of the hundred or so scientists at the meeting that began the countdown. Maddy personally had thought the world could hold on for at least another five years, but here she was, surrounded by flames, just two years later.

A gentle tug at her left hand drew Maddy from her thoughts and she looked down at her little girl sadly. Alise had been born three years after Maddy had married Jason Douglas. They hadn't intended to have a child: both thought that it was selfish to bring an innocent baby into an almost-dead world, but here she was. Five years old with her daddy's blonde hair and green eyes, Alise was as smart as Maddy had been at that age- and as level headed, too.

"Are we going to die, Mommy?" An innocent question: one that made Jason, who was holding Maddy's right hand, grimace sadly. Maddy and Jason knelt next to their daughter, both wrapping their arms around her tiny frame as if trying to protect her from the advancing flames. All around them, people realized there was no way out of the ring of fire that was slowly closing in on them and turned their attention to comforting and saying goodbye to their loved ones.

"We are, pumpkin." Maddy said honestly.

"Will it hurt?" Alise's face showed open fear.

"Only for a moment." Jason assured gently, holding her closer still.

"We'll be together in heaven, though, won't we?" Alise tried to comfort herself by clinging tightly to that thought.

"We will." Maddy whispered. She tore her gaze from her daughter's and met her husband's eyes.

"I love you." Maddy said softly. She smiled at Alise. "Both of you."

"I love you, too." Jason said. Alise just snuggled deeper into her parents' arms.

The screams began anew as the hungry flames finally reached the outskirts of the mass of people surrounding the Shannon-Douglas family. The Earth was thirsty, and it would satisfy its thirst with the blood of its people. Maddy began to softly sing her daughter's favorite lullaby and clutched her family tighter. Time slowed, and the flames that licked at her body jumped from her to Alise to Jason. As her heart gave out, the last words of the lullaby died on the tip of her tongue and Maddy Shannon was silent forevermore.

_Just close your eyes,_

_the sun is going down._

_You'll be alright;_

_no one can hurt you now._

_Come morning light,_

_you and I'll be _

_safe and sound._

_Don't you dare look out your window,_

_Darlin' everything's on fire…_


End file.
